Foghorn noise within my house

[MrSnowy40]

Dear All,

I live in a terrace house and a sound (from inside the house) has started to appear - It is like a foghorn which lasts for a few seconds. It happens once every fews days, however it might happen more when I'm not in. When it does happen I can never work out where it is coming from.

It would be interesting to hear if anyone else has had a similar issue or know from experience?

A few points:-
- The boiler (Worcester borsh, 5 years old) was recently serviced and everything was in working order.
- The noise only happens when the taps/shower are not in use.
- The heating has been on full time in the past few weeks. Previously it was only on for a few hours of the day.
- The central heating and hot water taps (kitchen and bathroom wash hand basin) are working fine.
- In the same period as the horning sound has happened, the shower (Thermostatic bar shower) isn't working as good - it is now warm instead as hot, and it takes longer to warm up. The shower is only 14 months old.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks, Mark.

 

[terryplumb]

Does the sound happen shortly after flushing a toilet ?
Do you have a loft tank ?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Faulty Part 2 float valve.

Andy

 

[MrSnowy40]

Does the sound happen shortly after flushing a toilet ?
Do you have a loft tank ?

Hi Terry,
No, I have no loft tank and it hasn't made the noise after flushing a toilet.
Thanks, Mark

 

[terryplumb]

Could the sound be from a neighbour's house ?
Does it eminate from upstairs or downstairs ?

 

[MrSnowy40]

Could the sound be from a neighbour's house ?
Does it eminate from upstairs or downstairs ?

I'm pretty certain it eminates from upstairs. I have also thought the possibility it could come from a neighbours property, however I've come to the conclusion with the loudness of the noise that it has got to be within my house. Many thanks for taking the time to help.

 

[robinbanks]

This is usually a hydraulic hammering of the pipework in the house; does it still happen if you shut off the water at the stopcock?

(Caution; if your stopcock is old and seldom used shutting it off may cause it to leak, you may not want to risk needing plumbing work this close to Christmas)

 

[MrSnowy40]

This is usually a hydraulic hammering of the pipework in the house; does it still happen if you shut off the water at the stopcock?

(Caution; if your stopcock is old and seldom used shutting it off may cause it to leak, you may not want to risk needing plumbing work this close to Christmas)

Many thanks, Robin.

We are replacing two radiators with new in the new year (A plumber who is currently on holiday and uncontactable at this moment in time will be carrying out the works) so maybe bleeding the radiators/draining the full system may help?

Thanks once again.

 

[JohnD]

Many thanks, Robin.

We are replacing two radiators with new in the new year (A plumber who is currently on holiday and uncontactable at this moment in time will be carrying out the works) so maybe bleeding the radiators/draining the full system may help?

Thanks once again.

Very unlikely.

If we get a mild day, turn the boiler off for a few hours and see if the noise stops.

Have you actually looked in the loft?

Does your boiler have a pressure valve?

Do you have a combi or a hot water cylinder?

 

[Notch7]

Foghorn noise in my house….you’ve upset the wife again.

 

[MrSnowy40]

Very unlikely.

If we get a mild day, turn the boiler off for a few hours and see if the noise stops.

Have you actually looked in the loft?

Does your boiler have a pressure valve?

Do you have a combi or a hot water cylinder?

Thanks, John.
I have a Worcester bosch combination boiler.
No hot water cylinder and there is nothing in the loft.
I find it strange the noise happens when nothing (apart from heating) is in use, no taps in use for a while, toilet not been flushed etc. The noise only happens every few days.

 

[nitro23456]

Do you have an external pressure vessel?

 

[robinbanks]

This is when you find out that thanks to some original accidental or deliberate plumbing mistake you've been paying for your neighbour's water for years..

 

[Madrab]

Passing ceramic valve in the shower possibly, if the shower is acting up.

If something is obviously not working as it should, I'd start there.

 

[kidgreen61]

As Madrab says, faulty tap.